4 October 2018 - a simple plan

Today's Readings (Audio)

He said to them,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.

We need the master of the harvest to prepare and send laborers for his harvest. This is not something that can be done by human institutions. There is no program of training that can prepare us to be lambs among wolves as when Saint Francis went to preach to Sultan Malik al-Kamil. Only the Spirit of God can help us to so value the gospel that we are able to place it above our very lives.

Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.

The Spirit of God allows us to be poor for the sake of the Kingdom. The reason is not that these things in themselves are necessarily bad but that they are distractions. We need to be willing to lay any distraction aside from the sake of Jesus. We should be simple enough to eat what is set before us so that our preferences don't prevent us from spreading this gospel.

Into whatever house you enter, first say,
'Peace to this household.'

We proclaim a peace that the world cannot give and cannot take away. We offer the peace that comes from Christ alone. It is too important to let any secondary things detract from it.

We would prefer to leave this job to professionals. But it is not just a job for priests and missionaries. God is calling us all to help bring in the harvest. And we need not fear. Success is not up to us. Our part is faithfulness. The rest is up to God and the free will of others. We ourselves can simply shake the dust when we don't succeed.

Job teaches us to proclaim the message of God even when we ourselves are stripped of all we have.

But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives,
and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust;
Whom I myself shall see:
my own eyes, not another's, shall behold him,
And from my flesh I shall see God;
my inmost being is consumed with longing.

So let us pray for more helpers at this harvest and not slack for our part in the work. The whole world is being offered a chance to behold the face of God in Christ. May the Spirit teach us to long for this vision.

Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;